A History of Modern Education in Bonga Town (1941– 1991)

Abstract

This thesis attempts to reconstruct the history of modern education in Bonga town from its introduction and expansion to 1991. Before the introduction of modern education in the country, there was well established Indigenous knowledge in Kafa Kingdom. However, following the incorporation of Kafa kingdom into the Ethiopian imperial state, there had been a gradual influx of Orthodox Christians to the town. As a result the number of Christian settlers from northern and central Ethiopia came to Bonga and established Church and subsequently of church education in Bonga town about 1930s. However, Indigenous knowledge predates Church education in Bonga town mainly because traditional religion, like Eqqo and Qolle Dejjo dominated until the Darg came to power. Off course both the traditional and church went head to head peaceful in Bonga town still together. The establishment of modern government school in Bonga was part of the general process of extending modern education in the country from the late 1920’s and early 1930’s onwards. However, the introduction of modern education to Bonga town was related to the coming of catholic missionaries in Bonga town in the 1920s and the appointment of Ras Mesfin sileshi as governor of Kafa Tqlayi Gizat from 1946-1956 immediately after the liberation of Ethiopia from Italian control. The Italian period also contributed a lot for the expansion of modern education in the town, particularly, the missionary education and Quranic schools in Bonga Town. After the libration, the expansion of modern education and opening of modern government schools were continued in Bonga town